Tiruvonam- Welcoming Mahabali #MyfriendAlexa #Scrutiny

After nine days of systematic pookalam, on the ninth day, we put pookalam in the morning and and two pookalams in the evening. Meanwhile nee dresses will be bought, as wearing Onakkodi is an important tradition in Onam.

On Utradam (Onnam Onam/first day of Onam), we put a pookalam in the morning.

During the daytime preparation are done to make the grand pookalam in the evening. This varies in different sides of Kerala. In some areas, last pookalam will be put on Utradam morning. On the next day, either the same pookalam will be there or there won’t be any. Towards the area of my maternal house there are two pookalams on Utradam evening.

The first pookalam on Utradam evening will be a small one, which is put towards the gate and the second one will be a large on put on our doorstep. This is to welcome Onathappan from the gate to our doorstep.

On Utradam evening, after putting the pookalam, we I’ll make everything ready for the ethirelkal or welcome ceremony. We need to get ready with Thumbs flowers cut into small pieces. In some areas, mukooti will added along with thumba while in some other areas, kuruthola, or the sprouting leaves of Coconut tree which we use on Palm Sunday will be added. Here I used only Thumba

Next it’s Onathappan. Usually wooden or clay cones are used as onathappans. .

Next the Elaada will prepared. It’s a steak cooked cake like preparation. We will heat the plantain leaves in the flames so as to soften them

Next, a soft dough is made using rice flour and water, which is spread over softened leaves

Grated coconut and grated jaggery are mixed together, and stuffed inside it and wrapped

This wrap goes in to the idli cooker and cooked for 10-15 min

These are the preparations. What happens next day on Thiruvonam will be seen in the next post. Watch the previous days’ customs in my previous posts.

Onam – The secular festival of Kerala

Onam- Second day through Sixth Day